Have Legacy 32-bit Software under Win 7, Can Parallels remain compatible under Mojave?

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PeteP

Bit poster
I have numerous files in Mathcad 15 (the old version that ran under Windows 95, meets my needs WAY better than current versions of Mathcad) and a large externally-written application in 32-bit Excel file (with Macros). These files are all "heavy science" applications that currently run well under Windows 7, Parallels 14 for Mac, Pro Edition, and macOS High Sierra. I understand that Mojave is the last mac OS that will support 32-bit apps. My question is whether Parallels will continue to support 32-bit Windows apps, and what's the likelihood that they be able to run under future mac OS?

If I have to choose between losing these 32-bit apps vs. future Mac OS upgrades, I will have to choose the 32-bit apps and take my chances regarding security and the generalized value of staying up to date. I'm a scientist, but in no way a computer-dude, so I don't know if it's reasonable to hope that Parallels can maintain a "bubble" that's 32-bit compatible in a 64-bit Mac OS world that's moved on from 32 bit.

Many thanks for your help and advice.
Pete
 
The problem is that I don't think people will actually 'know'....
However I found myself thinking about this too, and realised something.
When you currently run a '32bit' application in the Mojave OS, it warns you that this is not optimised for your system. It does this when an application accesses some of the 32bit OS components inside the Mac OS. Running an old 32bit OS inside the Parallels environment, I don't get any such warning. Parallels itself is a 64bit application, so is not giving the warning, and it is handling the virtualisation of the environment itself (so not calling 32bit OS components).
So my guess would be that this is going to be OK. :)
Provided Parallels itself retain support for 32bit OS's.
My own intention, is to make sure I backup before every new OS release (standard practice), and if necessary 'go back' if something stops the older applications from working. For me the issue is that I have to be able to support some old software that is only running on very tired hardware, and was written for 32bit OS's, and to do this I maintain old 'snapshot' virtual systems on my current machine. Some of the customers have refused to upgrade for over 20 years, and I doubt if this is likely to change soon!. I might even find myself running the current Mojave OS as a virtual copy inside later OS's, if they become non compatible with stuff I'm doing....
 
Hi Roger,
Thanks, very helpful and encouraging. You write "So my guess would be that this is going to be OK. :)" That's good news, but have you run any 64bit test cases (familiar problems, for which you know the answer) under Windows / Parallels / Mojave? I'm running Win 7, does that raise any concerns?

Thanks again!
Pete
 
Yes, I haveWin64, and 32 installed and running. (Actually Linux, Win7 32bit, Win 7 64bit, Win 10 32 & 64bit, and Windows XP). None trigger the Mojave warnings.
 
PeteP said:
I have numerous files in Mathcad 15 (the old version that ran under Windows 95, meets my needs WAY better than current versions of Mathcad) and a large externally-written application in 32-bit Excel file (with Macros). These files are all "heavy science" applications that currently run well under Windows 7, Parallels 14 for Mac, Pro Edition, and macOS High Sierra. I understand that Mojave is the last mac OS that will support 32-bit apps. My question is whether Parallels will continue to support 32-bit Windows apps, and what's the likelihood that they be able to run under future mac OS?

If I have to choose between losing these 32-bit apps vs. future Mac OS upgrades, I will have to choose the 32-bit apps and take my chances regarding security and the generalized value of staying up to date. I'm a scientist, but in no way a computer-dude, so I don't know if it's reasonable to hope that Parallels can maintain a "bubble" that's 32-bit compatible in a 64-bit Mac OS world that's moved on from 32 bit.

Many thanks for your help and advice.
Pete
Click to expand...
Let us know the macOS X and Parallels Desktop version you are using currently.
 
RogerH6 said:
The problem is that I don't think people will actually 'know'....
However I found myself thinking about this too, and realised something.
When you currently run a '32bit' application in the Mojave OS, it warns you that this is not optimised for your system. It does this when an application accesses some of the 32bit OS components inside the Mac OS. Running an old 32bit OS inside the Parallels environment, I don't get any such warning. Parallels itself is a 64bit application, so is not giving the warning, and it is handling the virtualisation of the environment itself (so not calling 32bit OS components).
So my guess would be that this is going to be OK. :)
Provided Parallels itself retain support for 32bit OS's.
My own intention, is to make sure I backup before every new OS release (standard practice), and if necessary 'go back' if something stops the older applications from working. For me the issue is that I have to be able to support some old software that is only running on very tired hardware, and was written for 32bit OS's, and to do this I maintain old 'snapshot' virtual systems on my current machine. Some of the customers have refused to upgrade for over 20 years, and I doubt if this is likely to change soon!. I might even find myself running the current Mojave OS as a virtual copy inside later OS's, if they become non compatible with stuff I'm doing....
Click to expand...
Yes, you are correct as the virtual machines are going to run on a virtualized environment provided by Parallels Desktop and they will not interact with the macOS X directly.
 
Thanks Ajuth.
Nice to have what I thought was happening 'confirmed'. :)
I can even see people starting to run an old copy of the Mac OS as a virtual environment in the newer releases, when Mac drops 32bit support. The history of old software, that is not really replaceable, but is still very useful, is something I can see virtualisation becoming more and more useful to support....
 
Ajith@Parallels said:
Let us know the macOS X and Parallels Desktop version you are using currently.
Click to expand...
Ajuth,
I'm currently running MacOS High Sierra 10.13.6, intending to update to OS Mojave if/when it seems safe to do so. I'm running Parallels Desktop 14 for Mac Pro Edition
Version 14.1.0 (45387).
I greatly appreciate your help,
Pete
 
RogerH6 said:
Thanks Ajuth.
Nice to have what I thought was happening 'confirmed'. :)
I can even see people starting to run an old copy of the Mac OS as a virtual environment in the newer releases, when Mac drops 32bit support. The history of old software, that is not really replaceable, but is still very useful, is something I can see virtualisation becoming more and more useful to support....
Click to expand...
We appreciate your feedback. Let us know if you have any questions.
 
PeteP said:
Ajuth,
I'm currently running MacOS High Sierra 10.13.6, intending to update to OS Mojave if/when it seems safe to do so. I'm running Parallels Desktop 14 for Mac Pro Edition
Version 14.1.0 (45387).
I greatly appreciate your help,
Pete
Click to expand...
You can take a complete backup of your Mac as a precaution and upgrade to macOS X Mojave.
 
RogerH6 said:
Thanks Ajuth.
Nice to have what I thought was happening 'confirmed'. :)
I can even see people starting to run an old copy of the Mac OS as a virtual environment in the newer releases, when Mac drops 32bit support. The history of old software, that is not really replaceable, but is still very useful, is something I can see virtualisation becoming more and more useful to support....
Click to expand...

Enthusiastic agreement! Continued access to old, unique, totally functional software would take a large worry off the table for many in the scientific and engineering community, I would think. The issue of security, protection against emerging threats, requires that the OS that faces the internet be kept up to date, but a virtual environment living within that is/could be friendly to "old friends" software would be huge. Roger and Ajuth, I am grateful for your help. / Pete
 
PeteP said:
Enthusiastic agreement! Continued access to old, unique, totally functional software would take a large worry off the table for many in the scientific and engineering community, I would think. The issue of security, protection against emerging threats, requires that the OS that faces the internet be kept up to date, but a virtual environment living within that is/could be friendly to "old friends" software would be huge. Roger and Ajuth, I am grateful for your help. / Pete
Click to expand...
We are glad to hear that the issue is resolved. Feel free to reach out to us anytime for support.
 
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